


Open Your Eyes, Sonny

by AwkwardBabyGiraffe



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Big Sisters, Character Study, First Kiss, Fluff and Angst, Gunshot Wounds, Happy Ending, Light Angst, M/M, Near Death Experiences, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-01
Updated: 2016-09-01
Packaged: 2018-08-12 08:16:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,732
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7927417
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AwkwardBabyGiraffe/pseuds/AwkwardBabyGiraffe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sonny Carisi's life can be summed up in three words:<br/>Open your eyes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Open Your Eyes, Sonny

The first time Gina and Theresa saw their baby brother was in the hospital right after he was born. The two girls, who were five and three years old, stood by their mother's bedside, anxiously watching their new brother. Gina looked up at her father with wide blue eyes and asked, “Why are his eyes closed?”

“He's sleeping, Gigi.” he answered, ruffling her blonde curls.

“When will he wake up?” Theresa asked, timidly reaching out to touch his tiny hand. The newborn yawned and held onto her finger with a surprisingly strong grip.

“It might be awhile, sweetie.” their mother told her, smiling at the two sisters. “Babies need a lot of sleep.”

“I don't want to wait that long.”

“Come on, Dominick.” Gina whispered to her baby brother, kissing his cheek. “Open your eyes.”

***

“Come on, Dominick! You're gonna be late for your first day of school!” the six year old groaned as his mother ripped off his covers.

“I don't want to go.” he whined, grasping at his retreating blankets.

“Don't be like that, sweetheart. You'll have fun. I promise.” she laughed as the boy buried his head under his pillow. She snatched it away. “Come on, open your eyes.”

Sonny sighed and peeled open his tired eyes. “Fine but I wont like it.”

***

When Sonny was twelve, Gina and Theresa forced him to watch _The Exorcist_ when their parents were out of town. Bella was staying over at her friend's house so it was just the three of them. Sonny didn't like scary movies, especially ones about demonic possession but his two older sisters continued to tease him until he gave in.

Halfway through the movie, Sonny was about ready to bolt. When the little possessed girl's head stared twisting around in an ungodly way, Sonny quickly shut his eyes and turned away. “Nope! Nope! Nope! I'm done! I'm out!”

Theresa and Gina giggled hysterically as he tried to run from the couch and pulled him back into his seat. They held down his arms when he attempted to cover his eyes. Gina teased, “Come on, Sonny! Its just a movie!”

“I don't care! I don't want to watch this anymore!” he told them, keeping his eyes clenched shut.

“Sonny, open your eyes! You're gonna miss the best part!”

***

The day Sonny graduated from the Academy was the happiest day of his life. His father pulled him aside afterwards, pride gleaming in his eyes. He clapped a hand on his son's shoulder and told him, “Junior, I cant tell you how proud I am of you.”

“Thanks, Dad.” Sonny grinned, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. The older man straitened his back and threw his arm over his son's shoulders.

“Now, listen, I understand that this job is dangerous. I know that, but just promise me that you'll look out for yourself. Just keep your eyes open, okay Junior?” his father's eyes were clear with worry.

“Okay, Dad.” he nodded with a smile. “I promise.”

“Good man. Now lets get home. Your mother's making dinner.”

***

It was his first week at Manhattan SVU. It was late into the night but Sonny was still working at his desk. He knew he hadn't made the best first impression with the team and he was determined to prove himself. He ran his thumb over his top lip, still getting use to not having a mustache. Bella had so kindly pointed out that it made his look like a creepy porn star. Needless to say, the stache was gone the next day.

The squad room was empty except for the sarge, who was still in her office. Sonny laid his head against his open palm and rubbed at his tired eyes as he stared down at the file on his desk. His eyes burned, partly from exhaustion and partly because he had been wearing his contacts all day. He couldn't wait to get home and go to sleep but he still had some work to do.

“Come on, Sonny. Keep your eyes open.” he muttered to himself but despite his best efforts, his eyes slipped shut and he dozed off.

“Carisi?” the young detective jerk up at the call of his name, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. Benson was standing in front of his desk, her purse in her hand and a concerned look in her eyes.

“I'm up. I'm awake.” he assured her, wiping the drool off of his chin. Benson shook her head with a small smile tugging at her lips.

“Go home, Carisi. Its late.” she ordered gently. He shook his head and looked back down to the files spread out in front of him.

“No. I still got some work to do.” he told her, embarrassed that he had just been caught sleeping on the job by his boss.

“It'll still be here in the morning.” she pointed out, walking towards the elevator. “Go home. Get some sleep.”

Carisi glanced down at his watch and saw that it was well past midnight. Benson was right. He had gotten a lot done already and his work would still be there in the morning. He let out a tired sigh and collected his things to head home.

***

Sonny couldn't help but stare after Barba as he left the squad room. He'd had a huge crush on the A.D.A for a long time but he could never work up the courage to ask the man out. Sometimes it felt like Barba might feel the same way but Sonny could never be sure. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Rollins watching him with an devious gleam in her eyes. He quickly averted her gaze and took a sip of his coffee. “So, have you and Barba banged yet?”

Carisi choked on his drink, spewing coffee all over his desk. Rollins waited with an amused look for him to collect himself. Once he could finally breathe again, he asked her with wide eyes, “What are you talking about? Barba and I aren't-. We're not-. I don't even like him like that!”

Rollins raised her eyebrow knowingly. Carisi sighed and admitted, “Okay, maybe I do but its obvious he doesn't think of me that way.”

“Are you sure about that?” Rollins asked teasingly, obviously getting a kick out of his discomfort. Carisi narrowed his eyes.

“What do you mean? What do you know that I don't?” he asked. Rollins rolled her eyes dramatically.

“Come on! Open your eyes, Carisi! Its obvious he has the hots for you.” she laughed. Sonny was completely dumfounded. Could it be true? Did Barba really think of him like that?

“Are you sure?”

“Of course I'm sure.” she smirked, leaning back in her chair with crossed arms. “You should go for it.”

A wide smile grew on his lips. “Okay, maybe I will.”

***

Carisi hadn't meant to kiss Barba. He really hadn't. He had gone over to the A.D.A's apartment to go over details of a case they were working on together. It was the second time Barba had agreed to let Sonny shadow him. They'd had a few drinks (okay, they'd had a lot of drinks), it was late, and in the heat moment, Carisi had kissed Barba. Barba pulled away abruptly and Sonny had immediately felt bad. Rollins must have been wrong. Barba obviously didn't feel the same way.

“I'm so sorry.” Carisi apologized, jumping to his feet. In his drunken state, he ran into the coffee table as he headed for the door. “I shouldn't have done that. I'll just go.”

Barba suddenly grabbed his arm, steadying him before he could fall over. The older man's face gave nothing away as he said, “Its okay. We've both had too much to drink. Sleep it off on the couch and we can talk about this in the morning.”

Carisi started to protest but the look in Barba's eyes left no room for argument. The detective sighed and nodded, allowing the A.D.A to lead him back to the couch. Barba help him out of his vest and tie and brought him a pillow and a blanket. Carisi fell back onto the cushions with an exhausted sigh as Barba laid the blanket over him. “You don't have to do this.”

“Shush.” he told him firmly. “Go to sleep.”

Carisi couldn't help but obey. He woke up the next morning, hungover and embarrassed. The door to Barba's bedroom was still closed but he could hear the man moving around on the other side of the door. Sonny quickly got dressed and was about to leave when he stopped. He couldn't just leave without thanking Barba for letting him stay over. Besides, he needed to apologize about kissing him. He timidly knocked on the bedroom door, slowly opening it when he heard Barba call him in.

“Hey, I just wanted to say I'm sorry about-” Sonny froze when he stepped into the room to see a very wet and very naked Barba standing at the foot of his bed. Okay, so technically Barba wasn't naked but all he was wearing was a white towel around his waist so its pretty much the same thing. Sonny's eyes widened as he watch droplets of water drip from the A.D.A's dark hair and roll down his chest. He swallowed the lump in his throat and quickly closed his eyes. “Oh my God! I'm so sorry. I didn't know you were-. I didn't see anything!”

“Relax, Carisi. You're fine.” Barba chuckled lightheartedly. Sonny could hear him walk closer and could suddenly feel his warmth against his skin. He kept his eyes shut as Barba gently touched his cheek. “Sonny, look at me. Open your eyes.”

Sonny's heart was going wild in his chest as he slowly opened his eyes and met the other man's intense gaze. The next thing he knew, Barba wrapped his hand around the back of his neck and pulled his head down to press their lips together. Carisi froze for a second, surprised by this sudden turn of events but he quickly began to melt in Barba's arms, allowing himself to become lost in the moment.

***

It was a bad day in the squad room. Their latest case had just fallen apart. A young woman was raped and due to the lack of evidence, the D.A. had decided not to pursue the case. The vic had been distraught and had stormed out of the building before anybody could stop her. Sonny couldn't help but feel guilty. He had convinced her to press charges but in the end, he couldn't help her. So, he was surprised when she walked back into the squad room an hour later. He rose from his desk and walked towards her, an apology already forming on his lips. But, before he could do or say anything else, she reached into her purse and pulled out a gun.

He didn't feel the pain at first. He only heard the gunshot followed by Rollins screaming. At first, he was afraid that she'd been hit but then he saw her standing beside him. She seemed unharmed but worry was clear in her eyes and she had drawn her gun. Fin ran past him, tackling the young woman and knocking the gun away. Benson came running from her office, Dodds close behind her. Their voices sounded distant as they asked if everyone was alright.

“Carisi?” Amanda asked, still looking at him with wide eyes. He stumbled back, suddenly feeling very weak. His hand went to his stomach and when he pulled away, he saw that his fingers were stained red. “Someone call a bus!”

“I-I'm fine.” he stammered, his knees buckling. “I just need to-”

His legs gave out from under him and he crashed to the ground, his head colliding painfully with the floor. Now he could feel the pain. It was searing and blinding, tearing at him like a raging fire. Rollins and Benson were suddenly beside him. Rollins pulled his head into her lap while Benson ripped off her jacket, balled it up, and pressed it against his stomach with an excruciating pressure. He couldn't stop the scream that tore from his throat.

“I know. I know it hurts but we've got to keep pressure on it.” Benson told him, her surprisingly calm voice comforting him. He bit back his cries of pain as she continued to apply pressure. He looked up at Rollins, who blue eyes were swimming with tears as she stroked his face.

“That's it, hon. Just keep looking at me. You're gonna be okay, Carisi.” she told him soothingly, taking his hand. He tried. He really did but the pain was too much. Darkness crept into his vision and his eyelids became heavy. His grip on her hand loosened as his eyes slipped shut. “No, no, no, don't do that! You've got to stay awake! Come on, Carisi, open your eyes! Sonny!”

“Where's that bus?” Dodds yelled. Sonny never heard the answer. The last thing he remembered was Rollins' crying and her cool hands on his face.

***

Barba sat by Sonny's bedside with tear stained eyes and a heavy heart. Benson had called him three hours earlier and told him that he had been shot in the squad room. He didn't remember running to the hospital but the next thing he knew, he was bursting into the lobby, sweaty and out of breath. Benson, Rollins, Fin, and Dodds met him in the waiting room, each looking distraught and worried. Barba felt sick when he saw Sonny's blood all over Rollins and Benson's clothes.

“He's still in surgery,” Benson had told him. “but the doctor says that there's a good chance he'll make it.”

“Of course he will.” Barba had croaked, struggling to keep up his false bravado. “Sonny's a fighter; he always has been.” his voice cracked terribly as he added, “He'll be fine.”

Benson shook her head and pulled her friend into her arms as he lost it. Tears ran freely from his green eyes and sobs wracked his body. The lieutenant rubbed calming circles into his back as he cried, his arms wrapping around her like he was drowning and she was his only life raft. This couldn't be happening. Not to him. Not to _his_ Sonny. “I-I cant lose him, Liv.”

“You wont.” she had assured him. “You said so yourself; he's a fighter.”

Barba had eventually calmed down and the group took a seat in the waiting room. A few hours later, the doctor came in and told them that Sonny was out of surgery. “He lost a lot of blood but he's going to be okay.”

“Can I see him?” Barba asked desperately.

“I'm sorry.” the doctor frowned. “Only family is allowed back.”

“He _is_ his family.” Benson assured the doctor, her tone leaving no room for argument. The doctor ducked his head under her intense gaze.

“Alright, but he's still unconscious.” the doctor sighed, leading Barba back to Sonny's room. The A.D.A froze when his saw Sonny. He was so still and so pale, nothing like his usual self. Barba had politely thanked the doctor and took a seat next to the hospital bed. He gently took Sonny's hand, intertwining their fingers.

“You're hair's a mess.” Barba laughed quietly, even though Sonny was not awake. His hair was falling from its gelled position, hanging into his face. Barba shook his head and brushed the hair away. It immediately fell back into his face. “I guess your hair's gonna do whatever it wants.”

Barba watched Sonny's face carefully, looking for any sign that he might be waking up. He longed to see his beautiful blue eyes staring back at him. Barba let out a ragged sigh and pressed a kiss to the back of his hand.

“You really scared me today. I don't know what I'd do if I lost you. ” he admitted, hoping that Sonny could somehow hear him. “Come on, mi rayo de sol. Open those beautiful blue eyes.”

Barba heart nearly stopped when Sonny did just that. He let out a sigh as his eyes blearily blinked open before finally settling on Barba. A tired smile stretched across his face. “Hey, Raf.”

Tears of joy rolled down Barba's face as he placed another kiss to Sonny's knuckles. “Hola, mi amor.” 

 

**Author's Note:**

> I'm Barisi trash.  
> I'm Sonny trash.  
> I'm SVU trash.  
> I'm just trash.


End file.
